Red Dawn
by StatsGrandma57
Summary: Sequel to Blue Day, which is the sequel to Black Night.


RED DAWN

A month had passed. Jaina remained pregnant; for whatever reason, she had taken the path of letting things do what they will. Jag was all right with it. He wasn't completely convinced about the babies and Jaina knew it.

It was nearly bedtime. She and Jag had been lying on the sofa, watching sports and catching some rest before Jag would be venturing out on a run the next morning. Jaina had been eschewing runs for the last couple of weeks, not so much because Jag and her parents and brothers thought it wise, but because she would need to be near a medicenter if the pregnancy terminated on its own. It was only a matter of time, the Force told her.

She was awakened with Jag at dawn. She felt something wet between her legs. She looked at the sheet; it was red with blood. Jag was in the shower. She knew what it was.

She heard the water stop running.

"Jag?" she called out. "Jag!"

Jag ran out of the fresher. He didn't have to ask her what was wrong. He saw the blood.

"We have to get you to the medicenter right now," he said, clearly shaken by the sight of his wife bleeding heavily.

"The deliveries!"

"Your dad can do 'em. And Jarik's on school holiday. I'll comm them once we get to the medicenter." In the meantime, he punched in the 999 standard for emergency medical care. "Jaina, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to make you go through this." He was normally stoic, but he was close to tears, which he was fighting as hard as he could. He would be strong for his wife.

"We decided together. There might have been a chance I was wrong," Jaina told him.

"I'm never going to doubt you again," Jag told her. "I'm so sorry."

"Jag? Knock it off," Jaina said, smiling at him, but letting him know that she was serious. "I'll be all right. Just stay with me."

"I will."

"And please, don't play the mournful card in front of my dad. He hates that."

"I suspect he might start hating me all over again."

"No. But don't apologize to him. We made this decision. We live with it."

01123581321345589144233377610987

"Captain Solo, good morning. I have a favor to ask," Jag said to him, trying to sound as calm as possible.

"I've heard this one before."

"Jaina has miscarried."

Han was furious with the young man. He felt that Jag had jeopardized Jaina by continuing with the pregnancy. But he knew that Jaina would be furious for blaming him and him alone.

"Jarik and I will do your run."

"Thank you - " Jag started to say, but Han had already hung up.

He hoped that Leia could help him untangle the matter. But that was of secondary importance at this time.

01123581321345589144233377610987

"We've got a change of plans," Han announced to Leia. "Jaina miscarried. I want Jag's head on a platter!"

"He and Jaina made that decision together," Leia informed him sharply. "She was comfortable with that."

"And now she's probably dying!"

"Probably not. I've read the literature."

"This is our daughter!"

"And I'm asking you to reason this through," Leia told him. "Remember when we had Anakin and you couldn't believe how much blood there was?"

"I wasn't paying a lot of attention to that."

"I'm glad. If this pregnancy had continued, it would have compromised Jaina's life, but this is nature, doing what it does in its own time and its own way. And as for blood, you don't need a lot for it to seem like a lot."

"You're not worried?" Han demanded.

"I'm concerned. But Jaina will be all right."

Han knew he'd been beaten - again.

And always by the women in his life.

01123581321345589144233377610987

Han had taken care of the manifests and informed the customers of the delay. Most asked no questions; Less Than 12 Parsecs had the best reputation in the galaxy for on time delivery. A few had, but upon explaining the reason, immediately understood and were willing to wait an extra day or two.

Han, Leia, Jarik, Jacen, Tenel Ka and Chewie waited to hear how Jaina was doing. Jag appeared in about an hour with the med droid.

"She is doing well," the droid announced. "She has not lost as much blood as we often see, and she will be ready to go home and rest later today."

Jag was pale but looked relieved.

"Jarik, Chewie, get back and get the ship ready. Jacen, Tenel Ka, don't you have jobs? Leia, don't you have a class to teach?"

Han turned to Jag. "C'mon, kid. I'll buy you a cuppa kaf."

01123581321345589144233377610987

"Jaina and I both decided to continue the pregnancy. We both felt that there might be a small possibility she was wrong. The medics say she's in much better shape than some of the women who miscarry from this condition."

"What about her chances of having more kids?" Han asked as the two men drank their kafs.

"We've been told to wait six months, but that for this sort of thing to happen twice is unusual. As you know, I'm from a large family, and I want a family. Not as big as mine, but I love kids."

"I never thought I'd want kids till I met Leia. Then it was like, my gods, I want them, now!"

"I didn't feel like that. Then again, I had kind of a different life."

"You don't say." But Han smiled affectionately. "Look, I know that you're feeling kinda guilty right now, and Jaina knows it and she's not about to tolerate it. So stop that."

Jag smiled. Han understood.

Sometimes, it felt good to have a father figure.

01123581321345589144233377610987


End file.
